In Darkness We Trust
by Aveira
Summary: What if your gift was your worst nightmare? Merideth Valentine is put to the test when her powers begin to manifest. Will The suave Professor, over confident metal bending Nazi Hunter, and a rag-tag team of misfits be able to reign her in before she loses control...and everything she loves? Rating subject to change. Swearing, violence, and 'situations'
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I own nothing. Please don't sue me. If I owned it, I wouldn't have to fake it...just saying.

* * *

There are certain things you are born sort of just _knowing_. The sky is up, the ocean is deep, buttered bread always lands butter side down, cats hate water, dogs hate cats, toddlers are feared by all furry four-legged friends. You are not welcomed into the world with fear, complexity, or the certainty that you…you are different. According to Charles Xavier's thesis, this wasn't true at all. By his logic the clouds very well could be cotton and your face actually _could_ get stuck that way.

"Mer, you coming?" Doe brown eyes watched with impish excitement, blonde hair swaying wildly in the wild gusts and English rain. A girl in a knee length brown dress and boots spun from the object of her current fascination. The newly named Professor Xavier was walking with a lovely blonde woman. His theories terrified her. Evolution, being something she had taken a great interest in recently, had become the object of her greatest fears. Each new discovery leading her down a darker path and further from what she had been taught as the truth.

'_What if…what if he's right?'_ She worried her lip, turning just as he caught her glance. Watching as she made her way through the rain toward the pub Raven worked at. He felt something stir as he watched the brunette walk away.

"He's starin' at you, dove." Merideth smiled at her friends nickname for her. Being pale in complection with dark eyes and hair she was teased, white as a dove, _'though not nearly as pure'_ she would remind Sylvia.

"Probably because I was staring at him. His lecture was interesting, theories on evolution that are beyond anythin-" Sylvia held a hand up in defiance, cutting Merideth off.

Shaking her head in the negative she adamantly refused to listen. "Not tonight, my Yankee friend. We're gettin' sloshed and having oursleves a ball." Both girls laughed at that. Merideth felt the cold seeping into her skin, she felt that something else was trying to crawl in there with her. A feeling she felt all too often.

The night was uneventful, Charles made a pass at Sylvia, who remained unimpressed though she put on a good show. She came back to Merideth relaying the whole scene from the mutant eye trick to his weird possesive sister. Merideth chuckled, feeling sufficiently light headed for the evening. "Ready to call it good? I'd say this was, all in all, a success." Sylvia smirked at the thinning crowd.

Merideth gave it a once over. "I won't argue, we had fun. Oh, and you were the only one anyone made a pass at…let's not leave that out. That, in my opinion, made the evening. Mutant eyes." Merideth dodged a poorly thrown, balled up, napkin and laughed.

They hailed a cabbie and made their way to their flat. "No school for awhile at least." Merideth noted. Sylvia worked, she hadn't bothered with University life.

The two had met at the restaurant that Sylvia worked in. Merideth was looking for a cheaper place to live while she went to school and was feeling awful about the options. One bedroom, shared bathroom flats were not as appealing at twenty five as they were at eighteen. Especially in a foreign country. Sylvia had seen her struggling and started up a conversation. By the end of it the two were picking out a two bedroom close to the restaurant as it was convienient for both of them. Merideth was fairly social, Sylvia was an exceptionally kind, knew you were going to be fast friends as soon as she saw you, people. Merideth had moved from New York so rain and snow hadn't thrown her for any loops, driving had been too much of a hastle so she rode a bicycle. She had done that in New York more often than not as it was often much quicker than waiting through traffic, and it was usually nice enough outside she preferred to be out in the open air. She didn't miss the states. She felt relieved to be away. Europe was beautiful, open, and so green she thought there ought to be another name for the color.

As the taxi drove them home they sat quietly, neithered worried about tomorrow or the next month. It was dark when they reached their building. Sylvia had the keys out first and was at the door before Merideth had finished paying and getting out of the cab. She saw a man walking toward Sylvia, thinking it was Alec, the man who lived across from them. Or maybe Henry, he was out late on Thursdays and Fridays…but something in his walk told her he was neither. He stood before her, Sylvia's eyes filling with every emotion related to fear and sorrow as he stood there. Merideth ran, her mind racing, skin burning with adrenaline, she didn't know if she was screaming or Sylvia, but the look on the mans face when she slamed bodily into him meant it must have been Sylvia. He cursed, dropping an unreasonably large knife, which was now coated in her best friends blood. Sylvia fell back against the wall, gasping and holding her stomach. Lights lit up the buildings across from them and their own. Merideth could hear footsteps and feel the fear coming from the people rushing toward the sound. She hadn't realized the man got away until she turned and saw him bolting down the street.

"M-Mer…your eyes…dovey, you've got s-goddamn this hurts." She hissed in pain as the door flung open. Whatever it was had left her as Henry flung the door open and saw a very bloody Sylvia and a frightened Merideth.

She looked up at him, her eyes full of tears she couldn't cry. "She's bleeding too much. Call an ambulance, Henry!" Merideth felt her voice crack, her hands were shaking as they helped Sylvia hold pressure on the wound. Sylvia continued to stare at Merideth with concern, her gaze going soft as she began to slip into unconciousness.

Three days, seven hours, and forty eight minutes Merideth had spent in that hospital. All three shifts in the ER and ICU knew her on a first name basis and often didn't seem to mind her presence. She wasn't going to leave anyway. The police stayed to fulfill the investigation, questioning her several times on the attacker. Did she know him? Had she seen anyone suspicious at the Pub? Where there any unusual people hanging around as of late? No no no….No she didn't know this guy, but he would remember her if she ever got a hold of him. She would carve her name into his frontal lobe. Bastard.

"Miss Valentine? 'ello, we spoke yesterday on th'phone." The man had a strange accent she couldn't place, Irish, maybe a little british? She could hardly understand him on the phone and now was worse. He slurred his words together, mispronounced every third word, added t's and forgot h's. If she didn't know better, she'd guess he was just drunk and trying to pass his slur off as an accent.

She nodded for him to continue, pulling herself together enough to try and listen as she sat, waiting for Sylvia to wake. "Th'man who stabbed yer friend 'ere. He was found yesterday, apparently he wer'ant feelin' none too good. The chap 'ung himself…plucked 'is eyes right out o' 'is 'ead an was said ta 'ave some very terrible mutilations all over 'is body…" The detective, Hicks, was casual to an impressive fault. "I canna tell ya th' rest. Pretty gruesome, for a lady." He chuckled.

Merideth managed a nod, wondering how much worse off he could have been if he had been mutilated, blinded, and hung. "I se-er…understand." Somehow saying 'I see' would never again seem appropriate. "Yes. So, is there anything you need more from me?" He shook his head.

"Jus' thaught you'd like ta know." He nodded, his several chins winking at her as he hoisted his plump body up out of the chair.

Merideth held Sylvia's hand and began to weep uncontrollably. When he ran from them than night, she had thought of all the horrible ways she could repay him…hang him, blind him, sever every tendon so he couldn't run from anyone again... If the rest of what happened was true, if those horrific _thoughts_ came true... But…_how?_ She didn't tell anyone. No one had seen them, had they? Something was wrong with her. The sky was going to open up any minute and swallow her, the ocean was going to dry up tomorrow…this was so wrong.

* * *

A/N: I felt like writting something from a third person perspective. No OC pairings with anyone, so no worries there. But this might be fun. Uh...If I made mistakes, spelling or whatever, please for the love all things good and green...or black and white...tell me. I hate finding them later and feeling like a big dweeb who can't spell or use somewhat ok grammar.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing…still…well, Merideth and Sylvia…but that's really it. Everything else belongs to Marvel

* * *

Merideth never left her room, not for the last week. The news of the man's death was more shocking than she thought it ought to be. It was impossible for her to have had anything to do with it. She couldn't influence anyone's thoughts. She kept thinking of Sylvia's face, the look of fear and bewilderment she had. Merideth was so sure it was the sheer fact that she had been stabbed, but she had said something about her eyes.

"M-Mer…?" A voice croaked beside her. She snapped out of her reverie and turned her attention to Sylvia.

She grabbed for her hand. "I'm here, never left." She smirked.

Sylvia chuckled and coughed at the effort. "Explains the smell." Merideth smiled.

"Glad you're feeling better, sug." She sighed heavily. Her abdomen had been wrapped heavily in bandages and the wound itself had been stapled closed after a short surgery to repair internal damages.

Sylvia wouldn't be leaving anytime soon, Merideth, however, felt she needed to find that Professor and get some answers. "I'm going to…I'm going back for a bit. I'm going to see my uncle. Your mum is here, she just stepped out to get some tea and check in with the doc. I…I need to know if…" Sylvia watched through bleary, medicated and groggy eyes as her friend fumbled for the words to say what she needed to.

Sylvia did her best to convey understanding by squeezing her handing and nodding. "I'll be here, I s'pose." She whispered hoarsely. Merideth nodded, holding back a flood of emotions. She hoped her friend would be fine, be on her feet again, she was terrified to leave her. They had been inseparable since they met. Sylvia had practically saved her life. Now she was leaving her to fend for herself. "It's ok, Mer. I'll be ok…" She squeezed her hand again, trying to reassure her. "Go. Come back in a hurry, Dove." Merideth nodded.

* * *

She had reached Las Vegas sooner than she thought she would have. It helped she had slept the entire way. A nearly twenty hour flight was sure to drive anyone mad.

She took a car to the club her Uncle had written her from last. _Hellfire. What a name. _ She walked in, her hair seeming to soak up the smoke and sin permeating the building. As she wandered through, looking for any sign of him, she spotted his strangely distant assistant Emma. Who, by all appearances had been waiting the entire length of her flight for her.

She made her way through the heaving masses of men groping at women in their undergarments and stood before her. "Flight went well?" Emma asked with her usual detachment.

Merideth nodded. "Slept, is he in? I know this is horrible and short notice. I'm so sorry to put you all out like this." She began; Emma raised a perfectly manicured hand.

"You're family, there is no 'short notice' Merideth. Sebastian is waiting for you downstairs and he is thrilled you've come home to see him. I can't recall the last time I have seen him…well, he's never been excited to see anyone for any reason so this is a first." She smirked, turning and indicating that Merideth should follow. They sat at a booth and Merideth suddenly had the feeling her uncle was a spy or very…interesting…and she was suddenly very dull. She thought she ought to leave and come back when she had invented something fantastic, like fire, the wheel, was a spy herself, not a boring student who studied genetics and evolution at a university overseas. "Relax. You're among friends. Hungry? Of course you are, let me guess…you want a New York steak with those little mushrooms, that wine sauce Marlow does up so well, and a side of his butter rice. Wine? Red, your favorite is still here from the last visit two years ago on your birthday. Sebastian saves everything. Very good with details, you see. Well, I am." She gave Merideth a knowing wink.

Merideth had just been thinking of a steak, button mushrooms, Marlow the chef who worked here, the wine Sebastian had named for her, Blood and Honey, though she would never know why he picked such a dower name. It was a delicious wine, however. He owned the vineyard. He owned everything, it seemed. This club, vineyards', portions of the military, government. He was into everything…

"How…how do you do that? It's like you can read my mind…" She absently felt her head, as if there was a neon sign telling Emma all her thoughts.

Emma smirked and pushed a button in the center of the table. Yep, her uncle was _that_ guy. A table that turns into an elevator, no one else has one of these. She wished her bed could do this; she'd never be late for her classes.

* * *

Moira had given Charles a full rundown of everything she knew, he had proven to be nothing she expected him to be. A man that could read peoples thoughts, now that was certainly something. And his sister, Raven, was a…well…she was blue and could be _anyone_. She could hardly contain her thoughts as they raced wildly through her head, unable to listen as someone was chattering about something equally important she was sure, but far less interesting…then it stopped.

"Don't be alarmed." She whirled around, half expecting the owner of the voice to be behind her. "Not here. If you want to know more, come to the parking garage. We will be waiting." Moira felt that she owed it to herself to know more. More about him, about Raven, about what was happening to them and what was really going on and why she was being left out of this, the most grand of grand loops.

"Damn it all, it's because I'm a woman." She said to no one in particular. She turned on her heel, walking straight for the parking garage, taking only her jacket and purse. It was incredible, no one moved. Not an eyelash, drop of water, no one seemed to even be breathing…it was as though time itself was held back while she passed the halls to her destination. "What an interesting man." She muttered, seeing a cup of coffee mid pour, the steam seemingly frozen in place. It was actually quite beautiful to see people this way, she had time to see them, study their faces as she walked by. If only it wasn't for the fact that there was a war, a General spying on the Government and no one believed her…because her leading sources were blue and telepathic, and she was, herself, a woman. "Damn it all…" She mumbled again, seeing Charles, a strange man in a black suit, and Raven, again with her beautiful blonde hair and bright smile. She knew him, could never remember his name. James, Jef…man in that black suit? "I'm in, I want to know. I want to help." She smiled, hoping she didn't sound as desperate she thought she did. Being a woman in what was so obviously a boy's only club was starting to grate on her. She was so much better at so much of this and these _men_ were just…"Where do we start?" She pushed herself back to the present, and the charming man who was probably hearing her little internal monolog. She became acutely aware of his stare and wondered if she should try and hide her thoughts.

He chuckled. "It wouldn't work. I doubt you would know where to begin, and furthermore, there should be a need to keep secrets. I won't just go wondering in there on a whim. However; at the moment you do look terribly troubled." Charles noted, rubbing his temple. "You're among friends, Moira." He was quite good at putting her at ease.

With a curt nod, Moira turned and gave the ok. She was ready for this apparent adventure. "I've been…cleared…so to speak, to work with you. However, they don't believe me. I need to find real, solid proof. Can you help me do that? Can you help me unravel what I saw at that Hellfire Club?" She turned and looked at him directly.

Some of Charles cockiness had dissipated, he nodded simply. "Yes. I do believe I can." The car pulled up a long dirt driveway. Raven gasped in amazement at what she saw.

The facility was impressive, even by her standards. A little of everything. They didn't have time to enjoy it, tonight was their first real mission. Apparently Sebastian Shaw had been found, his Yacht was located and he would be apprehended tonight.

* * *

A/N: Well…I'm sure this won't follow the movie to a 'T' so to speak. I can't remember what that guy's name, now I have to watch it again just to see if he says it. Good movie, now I have something else to do today :) So? Suggestions? Comments? Critique?


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: So I thought that this would be fun, introducing a different side to Sebastian Shaw, not a 'nice Oh look how much I care about my family' but a different side. He was horrible with Erik and the various masses he delt with to get to where he was. Imagine how much worse it might be if they were family. In my line of work the worst crimes I've seen are the ones done by family. I think he would be a terrific manipulator and with someone like Frost...

* * *

Merideth sat in unabashed awe, staring openly at the very red, very strange Russian devil before her. He glanced occasionally back at her from his seat. From all appearances he seemed completely at ease, if not a bit taken aback by the attention. Emma, however seemed more irritated by his so shown reaction to Merideth's shock.

"Azazel, give the girl a proper show." Sebastian grinned at Merideth and the red man, Azazel. He nodded, vanishing in a cloud of red mist and reappearing behind another man, who wouldn't speak to her and startling him into swearing a fair bit before the pair of them vanished and bounced in clouds of red smoke around the room. Merideth couldn't help the girlish giggle that escaped her.

"Bastian, it's amazing! How…how is this even _possible_? I could only dream of something like this…Azazel is…incredible." She was so engrossed in his teleporting and the other man's swearing in what she assumed was Spanish, maybe something close, she hadn't seen Emma's skin begin to glitter and catch every light in the room just right.

'_There is so much you have yet to learn, Dove' _Merideth spun around, her mouth agape as she saw Emma, her skin now pure diamond. Her mouth didn't move but something was definitely reaching out to Merideth's mind then. _'So many memories, so much fear, you have a gift of your own if you want to learn how to use it. We can show you…'_ Her body slowly changed back as Riptide managed to knock Azazel across the room, both men laughing. Sebastian stepped forward, smiling. Merideth felt her hands tremble, her stomach was knotting up, but she was excited.

"You mean…all this time, I was…" She stopped herself when her voice began to crack. Emma, for the first time since she had known her, smiled warmly and put a hand on her shoulder, a gesture of kindness that seemed to be so foreign to the ice queen until just that moment.

"It's only a theory, you see, but it's quite possible it's genetic. Also, there is a good chance that on a subconscious level we are all drawn together. Sylvia, for instance, is a bit of a telepath herself. She has a unique ability to read a person and _know_ them on an emphatic level before she ever says a word to them. You have seen her do it." Sebastian spoke, as he did she thought of all the times Sylvia had written someone off, enthusiastically helped, or that one horrifying moment she had been stabbed. She had known he was going to do it before he knew he was going to. "Her gift gives her the gift of foresight, so to speak. Like a fortuneteller except she is the real deal. I had no idea she was so strong, and don't worry. I'll see to it her medical expenses are all taken care of. Emma told me of the incident. You possess a rarer gift. The two of you developed together, which is rare enough, but to be two of a rare talent and to have found one another is…something special." His voice held a sort of reverence that made her miss Sylvia all the more.

"She is doing well, Merideth. We will keep you updated on her progress." Emma cut in.

"Can you hear everything I am thinking, as well?" She looked up at the blonde, who smiled and nodded.

"You need to learn to control your talent and to use it. Telepathy is not something to be toyed with. You have the ability to project thoughts, fears, pain and suffering. You can force your will onto another, have you ever done that before?" Sebastian caught the deer in headlights look. "I'm going with no. Well, we'll have plenty of time to work on that with Emma. She'll be able to help you better than anyone ever could have." He smiled and knelt in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I am, very glad you're here. I will do everything I can to help you learn to master this and get you home soon, my dearest niece." He kissed her forehead. "Now, how about you come for a little trip with us?"

Merideth's face lit up with excitement. Azazel held out a hand to her, a small smile gracing his features. She cautiously took it after her uncle ushered her up to him. "He doesn't bite, it's that damn tail you have to watch out for." Sebastian chuckled, placing a hand on the other mans shoulder. "To the Yacht, please."

"Yes, Comrade." And in an instant they were gone. Nothing but red smoke where they had once been, and Merideth's squeak of delight.

* * *

"We have the Yacht surrounded, they are suspected to be on board." Moira informed Charles. Raven was standing beside her, eyeing all the other boats beside the one they were on, speeding toward the massive yacht.

Charles placed a finger to his temple. "It's amazing, there's another telepath out on that boat…wait, there are _two_. She's in both…both our minds..." Charles stumbled as he felt something dark sink deep into his mind, suddenly filled with an intense urge to leave, dive into the water and swim toward the rudders, eat a bullet, anything to get away from that yacht. "Inc...incredible…" He clenched his teeth, struggling against both minds.

Raven watched in horror, not knowing what else to do she hugged her brother. The contact immediately disrupted whatever hold the darker force had on him and he managed to pull himself together enough to thank Raven.

"What…what is _that_?" Moira asked as a massive anchor lifted itself out of the water.

Raven, at a loss and more than a little terrified, answered what Charles was thinking. "An anchor?" _'And one pissed off mutant.' _

The three of them watched as the anchor hovered momentarily, lights lit up the deck of the Yacht, voices announced that Sebastian Shaw was under arrest, and then the whole plan came apart. The anchor tore the Yacht apart as a typhoon wiped out the boats that were down in the water. Charles felt, at the last second, another presence in the water. So faint he wasn't sure he'd even felt him at all.

"LET GO!" He shouted over and over again, his hand shaking with effort. "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE, LET GO OF THE BOAT!" He ran to the other side of the boat, as a submarine passed beneath them, and dove overboard. He managed to grab the man in the water, placing an arm around him and a hand on his head. _'You have to let it go, Erik. Let him go, you're death won't stop him now…let him go, Erik…let him go for now.'_

More or less out of shock he stopped, drained he succumbed to the frozen water and the pair floated to the surface, Erik unconscious and Charles near frozen. "His name is Erik Lensher. We need to take him with us." Raven eyed the man suspiciously, checking for a pulse. "He's alive, he needs medical treatment, but be careful…he's not very _trusting_." She nodded silently, helping the other medics get him to the car.

* * *

Erik woke up in a well lit room, warm bed, and…a blue woman hovering over him. He bolted up in bed…no shirt, not good. "Who the hell are you?" His German accent making him seem more intimidating to the blue woman than he had already been when he was sleeping, which he found pleasing.

She stumbled back, her bright yellow eyes flashing fear before showing recognition. "I…I'm Raven Darkholme. Charles said I should care for you until you woke, you're awake, I've done my job and you've scared me into my next life…I'll leave you to dress." She turned, her hands still shaking. "He's been waiting to see you for…" She shifted from blue to blonde and clothed mid-sentence. "Oh, three days, so try to make it quick. Everything you should need is in there. You're clothes are there." She pointed and turned to leave.

"Thank you." He mumbled quietly before she left. He was rewarded with a bright smile as she darted out the door. He groaned and pulled his coin to him from across the room. Smiling as it slid easily between his fingers.

Raven made her way downstairs, smiling to Charles. "How's our guest?" He asked with his ever present smile.

"Just fine, awake and getting freshened up now that he has scared the living daylights out of me." She pinched his cheek. "Are they going to show us around today? What's that weird looking building down there? What about that over there? Can we go t-" Charles held up a hand and pointed to the door.

"You have work to do first, dearest." Moira was standing there with a folder and a 'please help me' smile. Raven groaned and smiled. "Thank you ever so much, dear sister." Charles chuckled. When both women had gone he finished his tea, spun the cup around in his fingers a moment, and finally turned to the stairs. "You can come down now. There's no one else down here but me." A figure descended slowly, when Erik came into view his features were hard, angry. "I'm sorry for stopping you before, you would have died in your attempt, but I am sorry. I can't imagine having what you have been searching for your whole life taken from you when it's staring you in the face…I've never stood where you are and but I may still feel what you're feeling one day." His face was solemn; a sort of terrible realization that he was taking on an enormous and deadly challenge that would lead him and his new friend down a dark road.

Erik stood still, reflecting on the man's admission and apology. "I understand." He said after a moment. "I would not have done the same, you realize, but that does not diminish my appreciation." Erik accepted a cup of tea when it was offered. "Where do we go from here?"

Charles nodded, a small smile hanging at the corners of his lips. "We first must find out if that machine up on the hill is what I think it is. We waited, you see, for you to wake before we took the grand tour. It seemed rather important that we were together for this." Charles pat Erik on the shoulder. "We have plenty vested in finding Sebastian, I'll make sure we find him before…the others…do. He's like us and it's important that we be the ones to at least locate him, wouldn't you agree?" Erik found himself nodding, his eyes dark with anger. "The choices you make when we get there are your own." Charles smiled, something about it telling Erik he was going to try everything in his power to stop him from killing Sebastian.

"How about that tour?" Erik diverted the conversation, glancing harmlessly around the building and the surrounding area. "This isn't half bad for a kennel." He spat the word out with mild distaste.

"Research facility…classy Kennel to you, Mr. Lensher." Raven quipped from behind them. "Hey, we get to go with these nerdy guys and meet Hank McCoy. He designed Cerebro? I think that's what it's called." The two men, who had recently been flattered into taking the attractive blonde on a tour, were now adjusting lab coats and glasses in an attempt to diminish their 'nerdy appearance. As Raven looped an arm in Charles' and waltzed passed them, Erik chuckled. Her appearance tempered slightly before Charles, eyes dimming, the curl going out of her hair, even her breast size seemed to decrease slightly and her skirt became longer. He realized then that her clothing must be added on as an afterthought, or she can change the molecular structure of anything touching her…which seemed less feasible that her making the clothing appear and disappear.

"Interesting." He mumbled, shoving his now empty mug onto one of the scientists she had no doubt distracted from their work. Moira, the nagging voice he'd heard in his sleep, now had a face…it fit the voice as far as he was concerned, she found them and led them to another portion of his Kennel away from home. R&D, which oddly enough for him, did not use rats or have a lab. It was strictly mechanical. "Not research and development without…" Then they saw it. Cerebro. "A lab rat…" Charles of course leapt at the chance to use it.

"Is it safe?" Raven teetered on her toes, not ready to pull him back, eyeing Hank sweetly…and finding his toes ridiculously interesting. He assumed it was due to the fact that she herself was blue, a lovely shade of it in fact. Not unreasonable to want to find more like yourself.

"We haven't been able to get it to do anything, none of the other telepaths have been able to make it work." Hank had said.

Charles chuckled. "That's because you haven't had any other telepaths use it." He placed what looked like a pasta strainer with spark plugs sticking out in all directions on his head.

Erik laughed quietly to himself. "What an adorable lab rat you make, Charles."

"Not now Erik. Don't ruin this for me…" Charles gave him a warning glance.

Raven giggled. "What, your life long dream of being a lab rat? Oh, please Erik…don't take it from him, I fear he shant recover!" She threw her hand over her eyes dramatically.

"Are you sure I can't shave your head?" Hank had hardly finished the sentence before Charles was glaring at him as well.

"Stay away from my hair. Raven, why don't you and Erik sod off, hm? This is my moment, one day you both may have one of your _very own_." He glared good naturedly at her pout.

Without another warning Hank flipped a switch and everyone gasped at the same time Charles did. The machine began spitting out information and Hank was nearly screaming "It's working!"

Raven stood beside Erik in shared awe and her own secret excitement. It was like Christmas, one of them may end up being like her. Different, scary…blue. At least she wouldn't be alone in the world and have to rely one a completely false image she designed just so she wouldn't be killed for being herself. Existence shouldn't be a punishment. But it was. Everyday was a new set of trials, more difficult and taxing than the day before.

That evening she walked to the study hoping to find Charles, instead she found Erik. She opened the door, and gasped in shock, her face falling in disappointment. "Sorry, I was looking for Charles. I didn't mean to disturb you." She turned, sighing as she went to shut the door.

"Wait. Raven, was it." She backed up a step, her eyes bore into him. Yellow like a cat, though the rest of her was pale skin and blonde hair in a robe and slippers, she had clearly been upset or she wouldn't have forgotten a simple but highly important detail like that. "I don't think we were properly introduced." She eyed him warily before walking closer. "Erik Lensher, you don't have to call me Mr. anything, Erik is fine." His voice was smooth as silk and just as disarming.

"Raven, again. You scared the last good years I have out of me." She smiled sweetly. He chuckled back at her, taking her hand and kissing a knuckle.

"I do apologize. I will try not to do so again." She smiled politely and excused herself, complaining of her need to see her brother. He didn't press further and turned his attention to a book she hadn't seen him holding a moment ago.

She wandered back to her room, her mind swimming with questions and curiosities. She had never bothered to try and date men, her emotional state dictated how in control she was of her powers…and she could shift if she wasn't focusing, nothing like finding out your girlfriend is freaky and blue. She sighed and fell back onto her pillow, wish Charles wasn't able to see into her mind and she could tell him and he would be surprised. At least this way she wouldn't have to worry about stumbling over the words, he would have seen the whole interaction.

"And he would ask you what in the hell is going on?" His voice had her bolting up in bead.

Raven smiled, patting the bed. "You're just in time!" She chirped.

* * *

A/N: AK! I thought this one would never end! So, just to remind everyone, it isn't following the movie exactly, I don't own the characters, just mine, and no OC's with anyone who Marvel owns…I can't stand doing those, I suck at it. Just sounds too forced, so does this whole thing, but whatever. No one's complaining yet ;)


End file.
